


One More Day

by TwilightsDescent (wakingmeupishard)



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Bad Decisions, Berkut doesn't meet Rinea until they invade Rigel, Berkut has the brand of duma instead of Alm, Enemies to Friends, Eventual Happy Ending, Family Drama, Family Member Death, Family Reunions, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Nostalgia, Now that I think about it Berkut is still gonna act somewhat the same, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Multiple, Some angst, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-14 07:56:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16909152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakingmeupishard/pseuds/TwilightsDescent
Summary: (Cancelled Or Hiatus)It takes an army, rebel group, and two princes to kill a fell god. More specifically, a prince with the brand of Duma wielding the ancient Falchion.Berkut was born with the brand of Duma, while Alm wasn't. While Alm is in Rigel with his father, Berkut lives in Ram Village alongside Mycen. Both paths are different yet they have the same end goal.





	One More Day

**Author's Note:**

> This was written because of an idea I had when I was about to go to bed. I really like this idea because this could help change the story of Echoes and to expand on Berkut's and the rest of the cast's characters. There will be a few questions you all might ask:  
> 1.) What about Berkut's aunt?  
> 2.) What about his personality and how will it change?  
> 3.) How is this AU going to result in a different ending?  
> 4.) How will Alm change if he was the prince? Will his personality change? Same for Berkut, if he's in the village, would he change at all or still be bad?
> 
> I'll try to answer all these questions when writing this story, but if you are concerned about a certain thing about this AU, don't hesitate and ask. It's alright.

“Hey, Berkut.”

 

Berkut looked to his right as he met with Celica’s eyes. The fire illuminating the cozy little room as a book was open, illustrated with dragons and knights. Colors running rampant within the yellowed and frail pages, still bursting with a story to tell. Berkut’s hand running across pages as they crinkled. Celica smiled as she nudged Berkut with the side of her shoulder.

 

“Just a second, Celica, I need to finish reading this sentence,” Berkut hummed as he traced his finger on the last sentence of the page. Celica happily nodded as she read the sentence with him. “When you read the next page, you will then learn how the continent came to be and the origins of gods who reside within it.”

 

“Hmm, we already know this, don’t we, Berkut?” Celica asked softly as she reached forward to turn the next page. Berkut nodded slightly as he stared at the fire, the warmth comforting him.

 

“I’m not sure, I don’t really care that much about gods,” Berkut replied. “I honestly think they're kind of dumb.”

 

Celica smiled as she patted the book, making Berkut’s attention diverted from the fire to the book page. This page had two dragons facing each other, breathing fire at one another and in between them was the drawing of the continent Valentia, being created by the flames.

 

“Read it for me,” Celica asked. Berkut nodded.

 

“Once upon a time, there was a god named Duma and a goddess named Mila who fought each other bitterly for an age.” Berkut looked at Celica who looked confused at the sentence. “What is it, Celica?”

 

“Why did Mila and Duma fight so much?” Celica asked with concern. “Couldn’t they both say sorry to each other?”

 

“Let’s just hope we don’t end up just like them, alright Celica?” Berkut says as Celica giggled. “We’ll be smarter than these so-called ‘gods’.”

 

“Well, if you say so Berkut,” Celica nodded with a slight smile on her face. “Nothing will come between us.”

 

“No matter what?” Berkut asked as Celica raised her right hand with her pinky out.

 

“No matter what,” Celica said as Berkut wrapped his left pinky finger around Celica’s. 

* * *

  
"Hey, Berkut!"

 

"Hello, Gray," Berkut replied as he was holding a wooden sword, sweat dripping down from his brows as he wiped it off with his sleeve. Gray jogged towards Berkut with a bright smile and wrapped his arm around Berkut's sweaty shirt. "Um, what's going on?"

 

"Oh, nothing much Berkut! Just wanted to meet up with my lil' buddy ol' pal," Gray beamed. "Heard you were practicing, so... yeah!"

 

Berkut narrowed his eyes as he smirked, "You always come with an excuse, Gray."

 

"Is there anything wrong with that?" Gray asked. "Anyway, from what I've heard, Sir Mycen has been walking with Celica in the plains to find flowers."

 

"Yes, so?" Berkut laid his weapon down, near the sheep pen's fences. One of the sheep walked towards Berkut, stuck its mouth in between the narrow space of the fence and nuzzled his hand.

 

"And so, we have some time to slack off!" Gray exclaimed, his arm still around Berkut. "We can talk about life and other things!"

 

Berkut paused, Gray looked at him for an answer as Berkut sighed. He gave him a tired yet pleased look, "Alright, you've got me. Let's go."

 

"Hmm, let's go to center! That's where everyone is," Gray supplied as he took his arm off Berkut, he motioned Berkut to run with him to the village center. "Tobin said there was something he had to tell us! Super duper important!"

 

Berkut nodded as the both of them ran excitedly, warm spring wind on their backs, and the sun shining brightly in the sky. The scene unraveled from thickets of orange trees to bushes, and then to large wooden fences. The two finally stepped foot into the open center of the village. Adults sitting in a half-full wagon of hay and wheat as a bunch of kids were bustling nearby, squealing and hushing each other. Gray waved to the group, and a boy with hazel brown hair waved back ecstatically, signaling Berkut and Gray to walk over.

 

"C'mon hurry it up, guys!"

 

Gray shrugged as he smacked the boy's back, making him wince. "M'kay Tobi-poo! What's going on? Spill it!"

 

"Aah!" A girl shrieked as she ran from behind Tobin to hide behind Berkut, clutching on his shirt. "Kliff!"

 

"S-Sorry Faye..." The pale, white-haired boy apologized as he picked up the fallen wooden bucket, wet due to him spilling it. Kliff then walked towards Tobin, waiting to hear his news.

 

"Okay, okay..." Tobin readied himself to deliver the news to everyone. "There was a _knight_ in the woods!"

 

"What? That's nearly impossible Tobin," Kliff said matter-in-factly. "No kind of knight has ever come to this lowly village."

 

Tobin frowned. "No, I definitely saw a knight! They had a horse, lance and a full set of armor! I swear!"

 

Gray chuckled. "Well, we can test this theory out, y'know!" Gray nudged Berkut, which made Faye peek over his shoulder.

 

"Hey! Don't look at me. I'm not going to die today!" Berkut exclaimed. "You're all going to get in trouble."

 

Faye looked at Gray with curiosity. "Well, we've never even seen one before... So it might've just been Sir Mycen."

 

"Pffft! Come on, it's a chance of a lifetime!" Gray said. "Either we die seeing one or live without!"

 

"Let's vote then," Tobin asked. Everyone looked at him as if he had something wrong with him. "Uh, raise your hand if you really wanna go to see the knight!"

 

Faye, Gray, and Tobin raised their hands while Berkut and Kliff looked at them as if they were crazy. Berkut looked somewhat defiant.

 

“How about if you all get hurt?” Berkut asked. Kliff nodded, agreeing with him.

 

“Exactly,” Kliff added. “Those knights might be brigands in disguise.”

 

Tobin gave Kliff a joyful look. “Oh don't worry Kliff! We've been trained with a sword by Sir Mycen, it won't be too bad.”

 

“Plus,” Gray wrapped his other arm around Kliff who tried to escape his grasp but failed. “We’re small and quick on our feet! We’ll be able to run away!”

 

“Yeah, sure,” Kliff grumbled. “The fastest out of all of us is either Berkut or you. And Tobin said they had a horse.”

 

“Party pooper!” Gray mumbled. “Well, are we going or not?”

 

The children looked at each other, their wandering eyes looking at the village as if it held the answer to Gray’s question. They all looked at the adults who were in a heated discussion, talking about Rigel. Tobin then signaled the other kids to hurry to the entrance of the village.

 

“C’mon!” Tobin harshly whispered. “Hurry!” 

* * *

"Dad, why didn't Mila and Duma make up after fighting?"

 

Rudolf looked at his son whose beaming dark green eyes stared into his. The boy was holding an open book as the page he was on had a depiction of two dragons, breathing fire at each other and in between them was the drawing of the continent Valentia, being created by the flames. The pages fresh and crisp, the colors bold and boastful. Rudolf's tired eyes drifted from the boy on his lap to the book and he leaned forward to read the book alongside his son.

 

The bedroom was warm, the fireplace was crackling with excitement as the boy was sitting in his father's lap on the bed. The leather-bound book in the young boy's hand filled to the brim with ancient history, ready to be read by anyone. Rudolf sighed heavily, as his son kept on smiling.

 

"Alm," Rudolf said in a hushed tone. "These gods are beyond comprehension, they are stubborn when it comes to arguments."

 

Alm looked at his father in confusion as he stared at the two dragons illustrated in the pages. "I don't understand."

 

Rudolf looked at Alm as if he was in immense pain. "Neither do I, son."

 

"But you're my dad aren't you? You're supposed to know a lot of things!" Alm exclaimed as he turned the page. "You have all these other people helping you do stuff, so something like this shouldn't be so hard."

 

Rudolf sighed as he ruffled Alm's hair, the soft green strands of hair flowing freely through his callused hands. "Perhaps so."

 

"So, dad," Alm focused on the huge block of text on the page. "I've always wanted to ask you if we could meet up with auntie!"

 

"Your aunt?" Rudolf looked confused.

 

"Yeah!" Alm said. "I heard that she told stories of uncle when she came during the last banquet! Can we visit?"

 

"I-," Rudolf hesitated.

 

"Dad?" Alm asked as he closed his book and waved the object in front of his face. "Dad?"

 

Rudolf snapped back to reality as he gently grabbed the book out of Alm's hands. "Yes?"

 

"Are we going or not?"

 

"You can ask her to tell you the story in the next banquet, alright Alm?" Rudolf finally said. Alm nodded happily as he paused for a few seconds.

"

One more question dad!" Alm bounced on his father's lap.

 

"Very well, what is it?" Rudolf asked as he placed the book on the blankets.

 

"So, does auntie have any kids?" Alm asked. "I really want a cousin and if I do, then they could visit me all the time."

 

"No, she was widowed so she doesn't," Rudolf quickly said.

 

Alm looked almost disappointed as he grabbed onto the bed's blanket, the sheets rippling like an ocean's wave. Rudolf noticed this as he looked at the window in the bedroom, the sky was dark and serene as the moon shined like a pearl, illuminating the night. Rudolf lifted Alm off his laps as he laid him down onto the pillows on the bed. Alm gave him a groan in protest as Rudolf tucked Alm into bed, ruffling his hair one last time.

 

"I don't want to sleep dad," Alm whispered. "It's so lonely up here."

 

"You have to sleep Alm," the father said. "You're not a child anymore."

 

Alm suddenly wrapped his arms around Rudolf, hugging him. "Can't you just sleep with me one more time?"

 

Rudolf sighed as he pried the hands-off as he stood up and walked towards the door. He turned around and nodded towards Alm. "Good night Alm."

 

Alm bit his lip.  

 

"Good night.”

* * *

“Abelena.”

 

The woman looked at the towering man wearing dull red armor, crimson red cape, and on his head was the royal Rigelian crown. His majesty nodded towards the woman, as she crossed her arms in distaste. The woman wore the garbs of a priestess but without her headpiece. Her armor was gleaming under the light of the chandelier and the burning hate in her eyes. Her hand in the hunt of her sword which was by her side.

 

“Rudolf. What brings you to my presence?” Abelena bitterly spat. Rudolf frowned as he stepped forward, the armor clunking as he walks.

 

“Are you still angry after all this time?” Rudolf asked. “Even when it was predetermined by Halcyon?”

 

Abelena quietly snarled, the anger building up slowly. “Yes. How can I not be?”

 

“I even told you in advance. You could have heeded that warning,” Rudolf said. “We had to.”

 

“Hmm? So because of some pathetic magic tomfoolery, you just had to take my child away,” The priestess snapped. Her cold steely eyes pierced through Rudolf’s, a wave of fear washed over him. She approached him slowly, each step was heavy accompanied with a sound of her sword shaking. “So your son was better than mine, so you had to keep yours?”

 

“Abelena!” Rudolf exclaimed. The priestess narrowed her eyes as she grit her teeth, her hand hovering over the hilt of her sword. “Listen to me for once.”

 

“Likewise, you’ve never listened to _my_ pleads,” Abelena pursed her lips. “My son could’ve been alive and breathing if it weren’t for you.”

 

“Your son is still alive, he’s under the care of Mycen,” Rudolf explained. “He is my friend and a trusted knight, you cannot go higher than that,”

 

“Yes, I can. My son would have gone under my cousins care and not been hogged off to the devil's land!” Abelena hissed. “He’s been brainwashed to believe that he is Zofian, not a proud son of Rigel!”

 

“Berkut _is_ a son of Rigel and he _will_ know that one day,” Rudolf said. “Your pride is getting to your mind. Stop now.”

 

“You’re treading into dangerous territory Rudolf. My pride has nothing to do with this,”  Abelena slightly unsheathes her sword, the metal gleaming. “Zofians are scum and, we, Rigelians are on the top.”

 

“If I put Berkut in Rigel, you know what would happen,” Rudolf stood his ground. “The Duma Faithful would slaughter him.”

 

“You would say I would slaughter him? You don’t say,” Abelena said. “Wouldn’t Lima kill him if he finds out?”

 

“He wouldn’t,” Rudolf answered calmly. “He wouldn’t dare cross into the affairs of a villager he never met before.”

 

“You’re a fool if you think such,” the priestess lowered her head. She walked past Rudolf, sheathing her sword.“That king is a murderer. If you weren’t born with the brand, your brother would’ve kept our son an angel.”

 

The words shook Rudolf right to the core. “Don’t mention him as if you knew him.”

 

“I never did,” Abelena smirked. “I heard your son wanted to see me. What was that about?”

 

“That was another subject that I wanted to talk to you about,” Rudolf turned his head. He saw Abelena’s back facing him. “Did you talk about my brother in front of him?”

 

Abelena turned. “No, I haven’t. The child probably roamed around and heard me.”

 

“Very well, I trust you,” Rudolf sighed as he walked past Abelena, shocking her. She quickly caught up to him, the atmosphere no longer cold, but somewhat casual.

 

“You’re truly a fool, Rudolf,” Abelena slightly frowned. “You can’t keep trusting people forever.”

 

Rudolf looked at Abelena and gave her a stern look. The duo walked through the halls, the chandeliers lighting up the corridors with a golden glow, and the soft crimson red carpets led the way for them to the numerous rooms within the castle.

 

“I know, I have to take care of Jedah and the other Duma Faithful,” Rudolf said. “They’ll do anything to kill him.”

 

“I understand, but why don’t you slaughter them?” the priestess asks. “They’re fanatics about religion and god, so why not help them on their way to their one and only savior?”

 

“Because then Duma wouldn’t dare trust me anymore. You know what happened to the last person who defied to say _it_ was scum.” Rudolf stopped as he reached the doors to the banquet. They have both conversed so far away that not even servants, maids, butlers, or even the Faithful could hear or find them. Rudolf wrapped his hand around the door handle, glimmering gold as he thought of the future. Abelena looked down as she put a hand on Rudolf’s shoulder.

 

“So after all this time, you still won’t admit that you’re wrong,” Abelena asks. “And you keep making me not hate you, even after all this.”

 

“Yes, though making you hate me would’ve made everyone be more convinced,” Rudolf quipped, making Abelena wince.

 

“Damn it, you’re always one step ahead,” she slightly grinned. Rudolf smiled as well, knowing fully well what was to come. “Just make sure you bring my son back, alright?”

 

Rudolf’s smile faded as he nodded.

 

“Until he is ready for what is to come.”

 

And the doors opened with a grim reminder.

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter, I do hope you all have a good day/afternoon/night!
> 
> I’ll also try to update as soon as I can, I can’t assure you that I’ll be able to update weekly. If you have anything to ask me, please ask away in the comments or at my Tumblr:
> 
> https://helpwakemeup.tumblr.com


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